Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

Assorted off day thoughts from across the GWB

Sitting here in the Garden State, it’s strange to look at the schedule and see the Yankees dark for the evening. Don’t get too used to it, but I’m sure the players are enjoying the chance to kick back and relax for a day. It’s Cinco de Mayo, incidentally.

So far today I’ve used the afternoon to go for a four mile run and crack open the new John Feinstein book, ‘Living on the Black.’ I’ll fire this plug in here because many of you might find this entertaining — Feinstein followed Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine around for the entire ’07 season and chronicled their ups and downs, the events and really, what it’s like to be a big league pitcher. I’m only a few dozen pages in but, so far, thumbs up.Interesting weekend out at the Stadium, wasn’t it? They’ll try to keep that momentum going with the Indians headed in Tuesday night for a three-game series, sending Andy Pettitte out against Fausto Carmona. As our preview notes, maybe it will be the time that Robinson Cano breaks out … you know the Yankees can’t wait for his slumbering bat to wake up.

As some of you may know, every other Monday is Yankees Mailbag day. We’ll have a new one on MLB.com for you shortly but here’s a few points I wanted to get to, but had to leave on the cutting room floor. …

– The Yankees have shown no inclination to move Derek Jeter to a new position and, though it may happen eventually, it won’t be in ’08. Gonzalez has hung around longer than anyone expected — Joe Girardi had said that he’d be sent down as soon as Jeter’s quadriceps injury was better, but then Wilson Betemit came down with a mysterious corneal ulcer and went on rehab with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

– Andrew Brackman is going to miss all of ’08 after Tommy John surgery. Humberto Sanchez is throwing off a mound in Tampa but has not yet pitched in a Minor League game. When he does, you can start the clock, but a good guess would be that he could be considered for an August callup.

– Carl Pavano? Really? I must have had about 25 Pav questions, literally. Lisa Kennelly from the Newark Star-Ledger answered the question, “What is Pavano doing?” better than I can. The answer appears to be very little.

(By the way, for those of you who e-mail vulgar notes because I haven’t answered your questions … there are literally thousands of Mailbag questions and I can’t personally answer each one. If you send a question to bryan.hoch@mlb.com, it has a much better chance of being answered.)

I didn’t suggest to vote for Cano — I certainly wouldn’t — but everyone’s free to vote for whoever they want. If I want to fill out a hundred write-in ballots with Wil Nieves on it, that’s my business.

On Pavano,
Obviously, his injuries have made him about as worthless as teats on a boar pig. That said, if he could somehow crawl away from injuries, he’s still an A list pitcher. I would imagine that he’ll have a half dozen or so good seasons if he can stop getting hurt. Of course, he’ll have 1 or 2 horrible seasons learning how to pitch again before that.

OBSG,
Cano isn’t hitting because he’s a bad ball hitter, and opposing pitchers know that they don’t have to throw him a strike to get him to swing. When he’s seeing the ball well, he can put the bat on bad balls and hit them hard, but when he’s not on, he’s an easy out. At this point in his career, he needs to learn to be more selective at the plate. I guarantee that Cano could hit .375 and have 35 homeruns if he had even Giambi’s plate discipline. Not everyone can be Vlad Guerrero. Cano needs to learn to swing at good pitches to hit, and force opposing pitchers to make a mistake.
Bpark,
We would get absolutely hammered having a statue like Bonds in left field. Even you can see how badly he would get burned trying to chase down gappers heading for the 399 sign in death valley. Say what you like about his hitting, but there is NO WAY anyone can entertain the idea of having Bonds playing defense ever again. In fact, most people have realized that Bonds will never suit up for an MLB game again.

Pavano… jeeze man. I feel sorry for the guy, and you guys are a little hard on him, I mean, it’s not his fault he got the injury bug for the last three years, but I can understand your distress. I see it from a player’s point of view, and you know what? What Pavano is saying is totally true, He can’t do anything. His arm is injured, and all he can do is gradualy bring back up to optimal strength. Keep a healthy diet, maintain a good physique by working out, and kicking back, because you can’t stress what you can’t fix. Me in that situation ( though I’m not a pitcher ) I’d probably be doing the same thing. Although I’d definitely be putting those millions to work for me ( I’d invest in a couple busineses and get myself my own batting cage, you know the ones where the pitcher comes out on the screen and the machine throws all types of pitches? : D! ) But, I’m poor just like all of you and I need a another job in the offseason. Boo hoo.

One thing that’s really annoying me, I’m not sure what the problem is but I’m trying to buy tickets for the Seattle game on the 25th from the Yankees website. I keep trying to get it for a group of four and then I click best available….they don’t have packages for four people. Now on a Red Sox game or Vs Mets game I get that but this is the Mariners. Are there really no tickets in groups of four? Bryan…do you know if there is something special going on May 25th? I want tickets and I don’t wanna go alone. I want a group of 4.

1. His latest agent is a coke head. Saying Pavano is a 1 or 2 and will be treated that way in free agency.
2. Bruise buttocks? Sound familiar?
3. Mike Mussina will probably end Pavano’s career if Pavano comes up in August.

Everyone keeps saying that Cano’s gonna break out after every hit he hits (which sadly nowadays is rare). I’m hoping that it’s true this time. Hitting Cano= Better offense. That’s all there is to it. So why can’t the guy buy a firkin hit?! I want him on the all start team. If I have to see D. Pedroia as the AL starting 2B…I’m not going to the game and I’ll be watching on my TV puking when he gets announced. So go Cano! Get going soon…

-The Bonds question, obviously not for the Yankees. However, Detroit, moved Sheffield from DH to LF at his request. This opens the door for Bonds.
-Giambi. Has anyone noticed the walks he’s drawing for the slumps he’s in? Getting on base can produce runs in key spots.
-You suggest fans vote for Cano even though he’s slumping? This exactly the reason that fans should not be allowed to vote. The most deserving players should go not our favorites. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll vote in 12 Yankees but the system is wrong.

I think the Yankees can do well their offense is good enough to punish any pitcher, look at what we did to Felix Hernandez, he led the majors in strikeouts has a CG win and has been pitching amazing all season. His worst outing before this he let up 4 ER but his BP came in with the bases loaded and let al the runners score. If they can hit Bedard and Hernandez they can do well against Fausto, Lee and Co.

wut do u guys think of our chances with the tribe this coming series? apparently we’re facing a much tougher pitching matchup this time, not that cc was any easier last time, but the stats indicates so….

If you’re into golf reald Feinstein’s 2003 book “Open: Inside the Ropes at Bethpage Black.” It was a great read and lets you know what the inside of a major golf tournament is like. Plus I’ve played the Black it’s an amazing track and a gem to New York.

Pavano’s a 1 or 2 starter? LMAO!!!!. I know O’Connell is Pavano’s agent, and he’s trying to get Pavano the best deal he can, but how stupid does he think people around baseball are???? JEEEEEEEEEZZZZ!!!!

Don’t waste your time reading the Pavano article. It’ll piss you off that he’s basically getting paid to kick back. It’ll also make you laugh and think it’s April 1st again;
Pavano’s agent Tom O’Connell believes that Pavano would still be a desired commodity on the free-agent market this winter, even with his injury history.

“Carl’s a 1-2 starter,” O’Connell said. “Those guys don’t grow on trees. Those guys are very rare, 200-inning guys are very rare in this game, and they’re the ones that make the money. And he did it two years in a row, before he got hurt, and I’m sure he’s going to do it again.”

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